In her speech at the opening session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP-17), Heba Hagrass stated: “I look forward with hope to the summit of the future and the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the Sustainable Development Goals as one of my thematic priorities.”
Dr. Heba Hagrass, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, emphasized in her speech at the opening session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP-17) that she looks forward with hope to the summit of the future and that the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is one of her thematic priorities. Hagrass pointed out that there is much that needs to be done, especially in the face of global challenges such as armed conflict, climate change, and economic crisis.
She added, “The world is changing rapidly on many fronts. This creates opportunities and risks for protecting and exercising the rights of persons with disabilities in line with their convention, or whether it will lead to setbacks and exclusion.” She noted that the rapid development of new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), could be a game-changer for the rights of persons with disabilities, “but only if they are included in the design and regulations to prevent discriminatory effects.”
She affirmed that much of her future thematic work will focus on transformative and systemic changes, highlighting the close connection between the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals. She mentioned that her first report to the United Nations General Assembly later this year will address the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the Sustainable Development Goals and related discussions.
She expressed her commitment to raising the disability perspective in processes related to accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda and efforts to bring transformative action for the future of humanity. She also encouraged States to consult persons with disabilities meaningfully and commit to concrete actions to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals for persons with disabilities. Hagrass concluded by expressing her eagerness to engage with participants and looks forward to fruitful interactions during the conference.
